Suggested Books

PARTNERS

Anubis – The Jackal God and Guide into the Ancient Egyptian Afterlife

Anubis is one of the most prominent and mystical gods of ancient Egypt. He was known since the earliest periods in the history of the civilization that was based near the Nile River.

This god was first mentioned during the First Dynasty period, but it is possible that future research may show that he was present even before then. It is interesting to note however, that the name “Anubis” was unknown before the Greeks arrived in Egypt. In the ancient Egyptian language, he was called Anpu or Inpu. This name has the same root as a word which means ‘a royal child.’ Moreover, it is also related to the word “inp”, meaning “to decay”. Anubis was also known as “Imy-ut” ("He Who is in the Place of Embalming") and "nub-tA-djser" ("lord of the sacred land").

A God Without Temples

To date, archaeologists have not unearthed any monumental temple dedicated to this god. His “temples” are tombs and cemeteries. The major centers of his cult were located in Asyut (Lycopolis) and Hardai (Cynopolis). His name appears in the oldest known mastabas (mud-brick tombs) of the First Dynasty and several shrines to the god have been found. For example, a shrine and a cemetery of mummified dogs and jackals was discovered at Anubeion, a place located to the east of Saqqara. It seems that during the reign of the first dynasties he was even more significant than Osiris. This changed during the Middle Kingdom period, but Anubis continued to be one of the most important deities.

Anubis was one of the deities that could also work against humans. He was independent, sometimes helpful, but sometimes punished humans as well. One of his main roles was ''The Guardian of the Scales''. This was related to the belief that after death a person meets the gods who put his or her heart on a special scale. The scenes of the weighing of the heart ceremony from the Book of the Dead present Anubis - who measured if the person was worthy enough to live an eternal life. Thus, Anubis could decide the soul’s fate.

The god Anubis was usually depicted as a jackal and sometimes as a man, but he was always in black, which was a color connected with desolation and rebirth. Anubis had a female counterpart named Anput, and a daughter, who was the serpent goddess Kebechet. He was also associated with the god Upuaut (Wepwawet), another deity with canine features.

Anubis was also the patron of lost souls, including orphans. During the Greek period, he was associated with the god Hermes. The Greeks created a composite deity called Hermanubis as well. They decided to combine Hermes as a messenger of the gods with Anubis who guided the dead to meet them. Over time, Hermanubis became related to Herpokrates in the eyes of the Romans - a popular god for alchemists and philosophers during the Renaissance.

The most famous of Anubis’ shrines found to date was discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62). Now it is located in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (JE61444). It was found behind the un-walled entrance which led to the ''Store Room''. The shrine was located near the canopic chest, which still contained its jars.

The Guardian of the Dead

Anubis’ main roles were embalming the body, guiding the soul, and protecting the tomb. According to an Osiris myth, he helped Isis embalm her husband. Due to this story, the priests who worked during the mummification process wore masks with a jackal face. Moreover, the legends say that when Osiris was killed by Set his organs became a gift for Anubis. This started a tradition of offering him some parts of the dead. Real jackals were prone to digging bodies out of shallow graves and eating them. Ancient Egyptians made Anubis the guardian of cemeteries and the god of embalming to turn a negative force into a positive one.

“Anubis was the guardian of all kinds of magical secrets. In the Papyrus Jumilhac, he appears as the leader of the armed followers of Horus. His ferocity is a match for the violence of Seth. In magical texts of a similar date, Anubis is named as 'Lord of the Bau’. Whole battalions of messenger demons are under his command. In the magical papyri dating to Roman times, Anubis acts as the main enforcer of curses. The gracious deities of the cult temples are scarcely recognizable in the pitiless gods and goddesses encountered in everyday magic. (…) A story in Papyrus Jumilhac (c. 300 BC) explains the custom by relating how Seth once turned himself into a panther after attacking the body of Osiris. Anubis captured and branded the panther, creating the leopard's spots. The jackal god decreed that leopard skins should be worn by priests in memory of his victory over Seth.”

For centuries, people believed that tomb robbers would be punished by Anubis as he was the guardian of the dead. Moreover, it was believed that good people would be protected by him and their eternal life would be peaceful and happy due to his care.

A Pop-Culture Change

Anubis received many additional powers and attributes from modern popular culture. The mysterious god became a popular character in books, video games, and movies during the 20th and the first years of the 21st centuries. Modern artists often imagine Anubis’ powers as something more sinister than Ancient Egyptians did. His bad reputation was created by fear and for modern entertainment value.

In the past, there was a belief that people didn’t have a choice over their destinies, but there was hope that the jackal god would allow them to enter the afterlife and enjoy it forever.

Natalia Klimczak

Natalia Klimczak is an historian journalist and writer She acquired a Bachelor rsquo s and Master rsquo s Degree in History and has spent the last years working as a reporter journalist and writer Read More

A chain of holy mountains with “god’s name” painted in ancient rock-art has led a scholar to claim he has finally identified the long sought after “lost region" inhabited by the proto-Israelies after...

Njord was the god Norse sailors and fisherman turned to in times of need. He was a sea god with powers over the wind and the fertility of land along the coast. But what this deity is best remembered...

Webinars

Viral Articles

One of the oldest goddesses in Egyptian mythology is Nut, the goddess of the sky (nut means ‘sky’ in the ancient Egyptian language). It was believed that that the sky is, in fact, a star-covered nude woman arched over the earth in a plank or perhaps down-dog position.

The Ġgantija temples of the megalithic complex in Xaghra, Gozo, are one of the most important and mysterious archaeological sites in the world. Gozo is one of three Maltese islands; Malta, Gozo, and Comino, situated just 90 kilometers (55.92 miles) south of Sicily

Top New Stories

Both Empress Euphemia and the succeeding empress Theodora transformed from sinners to Saints and although 5th to 6th century Roman society may have been more lenient, due to the empresses’ charity and piety, contemporary historians were not that tolerant nor forgiving in their opinions of the wives of the emperors.

Myths & Legends

One of the oldest goddesses in Egyptian mythology is Nut, the goddess of the sky (nut means ‘sky’ in the ancient Egyptian language). It was believed that that the sky is, in fact, a star-covered nude woman arched over the earth in a plank or perhaps down-dog position.

Human Origins

Most people who have the Rh blood type are Rh-positive. There are also instances, however, where people are Rh-Negative. Health problems may occur for the unborn child of a mother with Rh-Negative blood when the baby is Rh-Positive.

Ancient Places

The Ġgantija temples of the megalithic complex in Xaghra, Gozo, are one of the most important and mysterious archaeological sites in the world. Gozo is one of three Maltese islands; Malta, Gozo, and Comino, situated just 90 kilometers (55.92 miles) south of Sicily

Opinion

There is a famous Jonathan Swift quote about how the law impacts upon the rich and poor in unequal measure which reads, “Laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps and hornets break through.”

Our Mission

At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exists countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained.

The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe.

We’re the only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives.

By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings.